Label-affixer.



Patented Oct. 7, I902.v

G. E. HOWARD.

LABEL AFFIXER.

:Applivntion file-:1 June 13, 1902A No Model) WITNESSES OZ 5 444MiUNrTEn STATES PATENT OFFIc GEORGE E. IIOIVARD, OF \VASIIING'ION,DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

LABEL-AFFIXER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 71 dated October 1902-Application filed June 13, 1902. Serial No. 111,517. (No model.)

To fl/ZZ whom [it lit/by concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. HOWARD, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of the cityof Washington, in the District of Columbia,have invented new and useful Improvements in Label-Affixers,of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in label-aflixers, and has forits object, first, to afford means for holding a supply of labels andcausing them to feed forwardly with uniform pressure from first to lastand permit one to be applied at a time to the object to be labeled dueto the adhesive action of the label upon the surface, which is greaterthan the friction of the various parts of the affixer which holds thelabels in the box or receptacle.

Still another object is to provide convenient means for reloading theaffixer with a new supply of labels.

Another object is to prevent the affixer from slipping upon the surfaceto be labeled as a label is applied thereto.

Still another object is to provide a device in which all of the partshave a permanent connection together, so as to prevent any of them frombeing misplaced or lost and in order to afford facility in opening andreloading the affixer; and, finally, it is an object to provide a devicefor carrying and applying labels with a long handle, so that theoperator may reach with ease an object hanging at some distance beyondhis reach.

\Vith these several objectsin view my present invention has relation tomeat labeling, more particularly upon which I alreadyhave certainpatents and applications pending; and it consists in features of noveltyhereinafter to be described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a View in perspective of myimproved labelaffixer, a portion of the handle being shown broken away.Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section, and Fig. 3 is afront elevation.

A represents the box or receptacle in which a package of labels as Iusually put them up is placed. This box is provided on the bottom with ascrew-threaded nipple 1, to which the handle 2 is removably screwed. Thenipple is set at such an angle to the box that the latter inclinesdownward slightly at its forward end when the handle is in an uprightposition,as this facilitates applying the labels evenly upon the surfaceto be labeled.

The box is open at the forward end, where it is provided withinwardly-projecting fingers 3 8, of wire or other material, the functionof which is to retain the labels in the box and yet allow them to bewithdrawn one at a time as the outermost label strikes the surface ofthe object to be labeled and the atfixer is removed therefrom.

The remaining portion of the box, including the sides and rear end, areclosed, except that a door at is hinged to one of the sides, preferablythe top, which door when open-affords access to the interior of the boxwhen it is necessary to replenish the latter with a new supply oflabels. In the particular construction shown two of the fingers 3 3 arecarried by the outer edge of this door. The door is held closed byspring-catches 5 5, which lie alongside the vertical sides of the box,they being provided with heads 6 6, the inner edges of which are beveledor inclined, as at 7 7, so as to be readily forced aside by the edges ofthe door when the latter is closed, after which by their spring actionthey immediately resume a position over the edges of the door, retainingthe latter in a closed position until the springs are again forced asidewhen the door is to be opened. These springs are forced aside by merelyplacing the thumbs, for instance, upon their upper ends and pushing themoutward; otherwise they might have thumb-pieces upon them, if desired,to facilitate pushing them aside.

Inside of the box a spiral spring 10 is secured. This spring is of largecoil prefer ably and of moderately-yielding wire, so as to have theproper resiliency. On its outer end a follower 8 is secured, and thefollower presses against the labels and with the expansive action of thespiral spring forces them forward. The action of the spring is such thatits pressure upon the labels is uniform from start to finish, causingthem to be held with a pressure slightly less than the adhesive actionof a label upon the surface to which it is applied, and this is insurednot only by the expansive action of the spring, but also by thecomparatively slight hold and ICC limited surface of the outermost labelengaged by the inwardly-projecting fingers 3 3.

In addition to the parts described pins or lugs 9 9 project outwardlyfrom opposite sides of the box or receptacle for a short distance, theirpurpose being to prevent the box from sliding with respect to thesurface to be labeled, they being blunt at their outer'ends,

as it is only intended that they should temporarily indent the softsurface of the meat without piercing or tearing it. Of course, ifdesired, they could be sharpened or made sharp in the beginning.

The device may be provided'with a sponge, which when used is fastened inany approved manner on its rear end.

In using the afiixer the box is swunglike ahammer or mallet, theoperator grasping the handle in one hand. The outermost labelattachesitself instantly, and upon swinging the box backward its edgesare easily removed from the fingers by the fact that the adhesive actionof the label upon the surface is in ex cess'of the frictional contact ofthe fingers, due to the pressure of the spring within. After applying alabel the box is swung around and the label is rubbed once or more, ifnecessary, by the sponge. When the meat is dry, it is sometimesnecessary to apply the sponge first before attaching the label, and whendesired this may of course be done.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A label-affixer comprising a box adapted to receive labels, aspring-actuated follower therein for pressing the labels outward,inwardly-projecting fingers located at the outer open end of the box forretaining the labels between them and the follower until the adhesionupon the outermost label is in excess of the frictional contact of thefingers upon the label, and outwardly-projecting pins or lugs to preventthe box from slipping upon the surface to be labeled. 1

2. The combination with a box, a springactuated follower therein, anddevices at the outer edge of the box for retaining labels between themand the follower, of pins or lugs projecting outwardly from the open endof of the box to prevent the latter from slipping upon the surface to belabeled.

3. The combination with a box, open at one end and adapted to receivelabels therein, and a door hinged to the box, and comprising the outerportion of one of its sides, of a pair of spring-catches having headsadapted to be forced aside and to spring over opposite edges of thedoor, said heads having their inner surfaces beveled or inclinedwhereupon when struck by the edges of the door they are forced asideuntil the door is closed, after which they fasten the door in its closedposition.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

GEO. E. HOWARD.

Witnesses:

FRANK E. NEWTON, J. T. ELLETT.

